NAB 2016: FUJIFILM’s Optical Devices Division To Roll Out New 4K UHD Lenses
At the upcoming NAB Show, the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM North America (booth C7125) will showcase its entire range of 4K Ultra HD Series, Cabrio PL cine/ENG-Style lenses, Premier PL 4K+ cine lenses, as well as the XA55x9.5BESM2/3-inch zoom and XA99x8.4 ultra-wide field production lens. Developments in both the PL 4K and 4K Ultra HD Series will be announced at a later date.
“With the lineup we’ll have in Las Vegas, we anticipate a very enthusiastic crowd,” says Thom Calabro, director of Marketing and Product Development for the Optical Division of FUJIFILM. “NAB is always a high point of the year for us. We get to connect with so many of our customers, from broadcasters to DPs, dealers, rental houses and their customers, corporate customers, and live event producers. It’s always a great venue to show off what we’ve been working on to such a broad range of current and potential customers.”
The FUJINON 4K Ultra HD Series will be an NAB booth highlight. The UA80X9 field lens and the UA22x8 portable zoom are designed for broadcast applications and are compatible with 4K 2/3-inch broadcast cameras.
“With the new 4K Ultra HD Series, when coupled with 4K 2/3-inch cameras, these lenses produce the same focal length range DP’s and camera operators have come to expect with HD, but at a much higher resolution, contrast, and dynamic range,” says Calabro.
The UA80X9 has an 80x zoom and optical image stabilization, making it ideal for coverage of large-scale live events, such as concerts and sports. In addition to its advanced optical performance, the lens covers focal lengths ranging from 9mm in wide angle to 720mm in telephoto. The UA80x9 size and weight is similar to the popular XA99x8.4 field lens.
With a compact and lightweight design, a 22× zoom ratio and a focal length from 8mm in wide angle to 176mm in telephoto, the UA22x8 excels in capturing a broad range of applications, including live sports, program production and news reporting.
The Premier PL 4K+ zooms are available from 14.5 to 400mm. The entire range of cine lenses will be in the booth: the 14.5-45mm T2.0, 18-85mm T2.0, 24-180mm T2.6, and 75-400mm T2.8-T3.8. The Premier PL 4K+ Series features the fastest T speeds available in a family of zooms, with unprecedented color matched 4K and beyond optical performance. All four PL Mount zooms are similar in size and weight, and uniform gear placement and front barrel diameters (136mm) enable quick and efficient lens changes. From 14.5 to 400mm, the Premier PL lenses are available in 14.5-45mm T2.0, 18-85mm T2.0, 24-180mm T2.6, and 75-400 mm T2.8-T3.8.
The FUJINON Premier PL 25-300mm Cabrio zoom will be featured, along with the rest of the Cabrio series: the PL 19-90, PL 85-300, and PL 14-35mm. All Cabrio lenses feature exclusive detachable servo drive units for electric zooming, focusing and iris. Mounting the unit enables remote control of zoom, focus, and iris adjustment. The PL 25-300 servo is optional making them suitable for use as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens. And they can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers as well as existing FUJINON wired units.
“This drive has all the advantages and features of the other Cabrio digital lens drives,” says Calabro. “The optional drive removes the need for external, rod-mounted motors which can take time to line up accurately. This drive unit comes off quickly and is very easy to put back on.”
Field lenses on hand in the NAB booth will include the FUJINON XA55x9.5BESM 2/3-inch zoom and the XA99x8.4 ultra-wide field production lens.
The XA99x8.4 combines high-performance imaging, a long zoom reach, and an ultra-wide angle. It offers a zoom range of 99x, a focal length of 8.4 to 832mm, and MOD of 2.9m. It features FUJINON’s patented image stabilization technology for rock-steady performance, which is especially critical for long-distance HD shots. High-resolution 16-bit encoders are standard, making it suitable to virtual, robotic, and digital signage, among other applications.
The XA55x9.5 HDTV Telephoto Box Style lens is designed for large venues that require tight shots from long distances. This lens is available with a built-in lens support bracket for mounting on an ENG-style camera. Also built-in to the XA55x is optical image stabilization, making it ideal for any application where the camera operator must maintain a steady close up shot for long periods, such as sporting events, houses of worship, corporate presentations, or concerts.